Plikati lies at an altitude of 1,240 metres in the Gorgopotamos Valley. The village has a direct connection to Grammos, a 17th-century church, a monument and an annual celebration held on February 16. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Plikati, you can plan your trip around a specific question: should hiking, religious heritage or the recurring village event be the main focus?

Hiking in Grammos

Plikati is a starting point for mountain hikes to the major peaks of Grammos. Several hiking trails on Grammos’s wooded slopes also begin or end in the village. The two hiking options differ in focus: on the mountain hikes, the peaks are the destination, while the trails start on the wooded slopes or end in Plikati. If hiking is the main focus of your stay, you can first decide whether a peak or the trails on the slopes is the deciding factor. This distinction makes the trip’s connection to Grammos more specific than a general decision to go hiking.

Church of Saint Athanasios

The Church of Saint Athanasios is the oldest church in Plikati and dates back to the 17th century. It features an iconostasis and a ceiling of unique artistic value. An iconostasis is a wall decorated with icons that separates the sanctuary from the nave; the term thus refers to a specific element of church architecture. The church’s age, iconostasis and ceiling give it a distinct character. For culturally minded travellers, it brings together historical context and artistic design. The church offers a cultural focus in its own right, alongside the hiking opportunities in Grammos.

The annual event on February 16

Every year on February 16, Plikati celebrates the discovery of the miraculous icon of “Panagia tis Plikaditissas”. On this date, pilgrims gather for a procession with the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary of Plikati. If you would like to experience this tradition, you can plan your stay specifically around the feast day. The date gives the trip a specific temporal reference; the church, by contrast, is a permanent historic building and therefore a different cultural focus.

Another place of remembrance

Visitors can also see the monument in Plikati commemorating those who fell in 1946–49. The dates give the monument a clearly defined historical connection. As a place of remembrance, it adds another cultural dimension alongside the church and the annual procession. For travellers who also want to give their stay a cultural and historical focus, it is another specific point of interest in the village.

Choose accommodation based on the purpose of your trip

When looking for a holiday apartment in Plikati, the purpose of your trip is a useful first filter. If you want to experience the annual celebration, plan your dates around February 16; for a hiking-focused stay, the mountain hikes or trails on the wooded slopes may be the deciding factor. The church and monument offer different cultural points of interest.

Discover more destinations: Ano Pedina, Kastania, Doliana, Delvinaki, Platania, Metsovo, Vovousa and Dodoni.

See the main travel overview: Ioannina.